In 2009, Cy Younger Award winner Zack Greinke went viral after telling Yahoo Sports activities he was boycotting Chipotle’s guacamole.
“I imply, $1.50 is already fairly darn excessive. In order that they modified it to $1.80, and I’ll by no means once more get guacamole,” Greinke stated. “It’s not concerning the guacamole itself. I simply don’t need to allow them to win.”
Fifteen years later, a (small) facet of Chipotle’s guacamole is $2.65, and Greinke’s ideas stay a typical sentiment amongst MLB gamers.
“Greinke was on a kick for some time,” stated Reds pitcher Scott Barlow, a former Greinke teammate. “It’s the precept.”
So what else are MLB gamers low-cost about? Nicely, after The Athletic requested dozens of them the query over the previous 12 months, the reply is … just about every little thing.
“It’s that outdated cliche,” stated Cleveland’s Steven Kwan, “You keep wealthy by being low-cost.”
Some gamers took subject with the framing of the query. “I don’t just like the c-word,” A’s pitcher T.J. McFarland stated. “I take advantage of frugal.”
You be the decide.
Whit Merrifield, free agent: It’s humorous when music is taking part in within the clubhouse and somebody has their telephone attached and an advert comes on. Guys will yell, “You’re an enormous leaguer making tens of millions of {dollars} and might’t pay $11.99 for Spotify?!”
Ryan McMahon, Rockies: My spouse is on her cousin’s Spotify, so I take advantage of that.
Jake Cronenworth, Padres: I don’t purchase any music. It’s a reasonably ineffective buy. I prefer to drive in silence. Whole silence.
Zach Neto, Angels: I take advantage of Apple Music however I’m nonetheless on my (cheaper) pupil account. Don’t inform Apple Music that. It’s the one app I pay for.
Hayden Birdsong, Giants: I’m not paying for any apps. I’m on my mother’s Spotify.
Tyler Glasnow, Dodgers: There’s one thing about (shopping for an app). I simply don’t need to give them the $2.
Barlow: If I’ve a recreation app and it says you possibly can improve for no adverts, I received’t try this.
Glasnow: It’s most likely value it, too. It’s simply ingrained in my mind — like, no, I’m not doing it.
Regardless of being division rivals final season, former Yankees pitcher Lou Trivino was on Orioles reliever Cole Irvin’s Netflix account.
Tanner Scott, Dodgers: We’re undoubtedly nonetheless on my spouse’s household’s Netflix.
Evan Carter, Rangers: I’m on my spouse’s dad and mom’ Netflix and my dad and mom’ Hulu.
McMahon: If you happen to’ve obtained another person’s log-in, you’re all set.
McFarland: Up till about two years in the past I used to be on my household cellphone plan. And I wasn’t even paying my dad and mom, it was free. Lastly, my dad is like, “You’re within the massive leagues, time to get your personal s—.”
Dansby Swanson, Cubs: I had that second, too. I wanted a brand new telephone and it was time to change my telephone quantity. I used to be like, “All proper, it’s time to get off my dad and mom’ plan.”
Tristan Beck, Giants: That day is coming for me, too. However I’m going to attempt to keep away from it so long as I can.
Matt Strahm, Phillies: I’m not going to simply purchase new garments as a result of I need to. I must want garments to purchase garments.
Joe Musgrove, Padres: You understand how in elementary college you get to return to highschool buying and also you get a number of pairs of denims and a pair T-shirts to final you the 12 months? I’m nonetheless the identical manner.
McFarland: I’m coming in with sneakers actually coming aside — the only real was coming off. My spouse was like, “That’s sufficient.” She took them and threw them out.
Derek Regulation, Nationals: My spouse is like, “You have to get some new shirts,” and I’m like, “Ehh, I’m good.”
Ryan Mountcastle, Orioles: I by no means want new garments.
Mike Yastrzemski, Giants: I don’t purchase garments, I don’t purchase sneakers. I get very weirdly indecisive about issues. I’ll be like, “I need this,” after which I’ll flip round 10 minutes later and be like, “Nicely, what’s going to alter if I purchase this? Nothing.” So then I’m like, “I assume I don’t want this,” and I transfer on.
Strahm: I’m quite simple and low-cost with garments. There’s black, white and grey in my closet, simply plain T-shirts.
Craig Kimbrel, Braves: I’ll put on stuff out.
Kwan: Socks, undershirts, that stuff I’ll experience till the top.
Musgrove: I’ll put on it till I can’t put on it anymore.
Mountcastle: Till it actually has holes in it.
Kwan: I had a pillow for 10 years that my now-wife was completely disgusted by. She’s like “You will get a brand new one!” and I used to be like “Why? I don’t want a brand new one.” In the future she took the quilt off and stated, “You have to have a look at this, it’s disgusting.” And it was. I did find yourself throwing it away my first 12 months up right here. It made it to the massive leagues, although.
Seth Lugo, Royals: I hate paying for transport.
Austin Riley, Braves: There was one thing — it was a searching gadget, it was like $6, and the transport was $8. And I used to be like, “I’ll simply go purchase it someplace.”
Jesse Chavez, Braves: And a “processing payment.”… Processing? The place did that come from?
McFarland: While you use DoorDash and it’s an additional couple bucks to have somebody ship the meals to you, I inform my spouse, “No manner, we’re selecting it up.”
Lugo: Go get it your self. I’m not ordering stuff (to get delivered).
McFarland: Positive, it’s 15-20 minutes to go decide it up and you might be most likely spending that cash on gasoline, however (supply) is one thing I’m not OK losing cash on.
Jesse Winker, Mets: I really feel like Uber’s costs have gotten uncontrolled, so if I can’t stroll someplace, I’ll lease a scooter for a fraction of the value.
Clay Holmes, Mets: I’m low-cost about flights. You fly a lot with the workforce you by no means even give it some thought, you then go to ebook flights within the offseason, and it’s like, “I obtained to pay this a lot to fly?”
Jameson Taillon, Cubs: I’ve a tough time paying for additional legroom. I can afford to fly top quality or in an exit row, however I really feel like I’m getting punished for being tall, so I refuse to improve my seat.
Triston McKenzie, Guardians: I have a look at first-class seats, however I don’t ever purchase them.
Matt Vierling, Tigers: I nonetheless drive my automotive from faculty. It’s a 2012 Ford Escape. It broke down on the freeway on me (in September).
Birdsong: I’ve obtained a 2015 Ford Fusion.
Paul Sewald, Guardians: I had my first automotive, a Toyota 4Runner, for 13 years within the massive leagues, and solely upgraded in 2021 as a result of we obtained pregnant and wanted a much bigger automotive.
Vierling: I used to be driving a good older automotive earlier than. (The Escape) was used once I obtained it; it had like 65,000 miles on it. Now it’s obtained like 172,000, and we’re nonetheless rolling. I’m going to attempt to experience it out for an additional 12 months. I obtained everyone in my household saying, It’s not protected, you need to get one other automotive. And I’m similar to, “Not but. I’ll experience it till it dies.”
Birdsong: I used to be a sixth-rounder, I’ll preserve it until it breaks, and it’s fairly shut. It’s obtained 140-150,000 miles on it.
Sewald: I’ve obtained a Ford Expedition now. It’s not fancy. It’s just about a dad automotive.
Birdsong: Perhaps I’ll get a Prius subsequent.
Kwan: I nonetheless don’t personal a automotive. I lease one and do some (promotional stuff) for the corporate, and so they pay for it. That saves some huge cash.
Kyle Gibson, Orioles: Once I was in faculty, my junior 12 months (2009), I wanted a 60-degree lob wedge. So I went to Walmart, and purchased a $19.99 wedge. I nonetheless have that membership, and I’ve but to purchase a brand new one as a result of I like it. The grip is ripped badly, the shaft of the membership is totally rusted out. At any time when I golf with someone new, they see me pull it out of my bag and so they go, “What are you doing?”
Yastrzemski: I’ve the identical golf equipment I’ve had for 4 years that I obtained totally free anyway. I known as my agent as a result of I cracked my driver face and stated, “Hey, are you aware anybody who can ship me a driver? I don’t care what it’s.” I didn’t need to purchase it. … I did purchase a brand new putter just lately. It took me a 12 months and a half to tug the set off on it.
Chavez stayed close to a lake through the All-Star break with teammate A.J. Minter and their households. There have been eight folks complete, and so they crammed up a cart, primarily with fruit and greens. It was $600.
Chavez: I’m additionally an enormous stickler on the grocery retailer. … The place did this (invoice) come from?
Regulation: Groceries are loopy.
McFarland: I’ll have a look at the shop, and it’s like, “OK, if it’s 60 cents much less, I get the generic model.”
Emilio Pagàn, Reds: Even when it’s 40 cents cheaper.
McKenzie, Guardians: If I would like drugs, I’m undoubtedly getting Goal model ibuprofen.
Regulation: If the strawberries say they’re two for $7, I’m going to get two strawberries as a result of I really feel like I’m saving cash. Am I? Most likely not, as a result of they made me purchase two now.
Jake Diekman, free agent: The opposite day at self-checkout I used to be like, the place are all the baggage? And the girl stated it’s a must to purchase them. It was wild. I solely purchased two, although.
Regulation: More often than not you overlook the baggage that you just’re speculated to deliver. And it’s like, rattling, I’m not paying 10 cents.
Kwan: I don’t like paying for snacks. I’ve my little Lulu(lemon) bag and it’s like a trick-or-treat (within the clubhouse) on daily basis. Normally it’s spilling out the brim. I’ve obtained free waters and these candy Thai chili almonds I’ve been completely emptying out.
Winker: The worth of water has gone manner too excessive. We get so used to simply with the ability to seize water (within the clubhouse). Then within the offseason you go purchase water and also you’re like, “This water is that this costly?”
Dustin Might, Dodgers: I’m not saying I don’t load up (on the free waters). I undoubtedly do.
Neto: I received’t pay for water bottles. Earlier than I depart right here, I’ll take a pair residence with me to drink.
McFarland: The identical guys strolling out of right here with tons of free water bottles don’t have any downside spending $25,000 on a Rolex.
Manny Machado, Padres: I received’t spend cash on a wine (at a restaurant) that they cost you 800 p.c (markup) on. I’ll simply go residence and drink my very own wine or deliver my very own wine.
Pagan: For the longest time, my weight-reduction plan included lots of Taco Bell. Crunch Wrap Supreme is difficult to beat. That helped my low-cost mindset, however now I’m getting older and might’t eat that as a lot.
Machado: I like wine, however the worth’s obtained to be there. I’m a worth man.
Diekman: It’s a must to go to Costco, the No. 1 vendor of wine on the earth. I really feel like everybody attempting to avoid wasting ought to go to Costco, seize your self a sizzling canine and get some wine.
Kwan: You bought to purchase in bulk. I’m not taking part in round going to get toothpaste 5 or 6 instances. I’m going to get the 10-pack and let that experience out.
Logan O’Hoppe, Angels: Don’t hate me, however though it’s a greenback, I refuse to pay for The Athletic. Even when my title is in it, my ego will get in the best way and I don’t need to pay for it.
(Editor’s observe: Subscribe now for simply $1/week for 4 weeks, Logan.)
McKenzie: I did lastly subscribe. (Guardians beat author Zack) Meisel obtained me to. He was like, it’s solely a greenback! However I did maintain out for somewhat bit.
O’Hoppe: I’m not paying that rattling greenback. It’s the precept. I’ll learn the primary paragraph earlier than the paywall. So, I assume I’m too low-cost to learn this text.
— The Athletic’s Katie Woo, Dennis Lin, David O’Brien and Patrick Mooney contributed to this story.
(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; photograph: Mitchell Leff / Getty Photographs)